Karnataka is known for having a considerable high literacy rate than many of the other Indian states. But this news will surely give a shock to all as it is reported that more than 90% of the Karnataka colleges are working without an administrative head. Out of the total 411 colleges in the state, only 36 colleges are reported to have full time working principals.
Many of the colleges in the list are working without a principal from the last 5 years continuously, hence raising questions on the education system of the state. It surely creates doubts in the minds of people as Bangalore, one of the cities of Karnataka, is the IT capital of the country. After the news, the Higher education minister Basavaraj Rayareddi has shown concern over the situation and is accepting the fault. According to him, it is negligence on the part of the Government to overlook the Higher Education department of the state. This has resulted in the sliding quality of education in the state. “I don’t know how colleges were being run without full-time principals; it is a sad state of affairs. Less than a hundred colleges have received NAAC accreditation. There is an urgent need to revamp the system,” he said.
All this started since 2009 when the government approved changes to the cadre and recruitment (C&R) rules. This amendment has restricted the promotion of lecturers to the post of college principals or other higher administrative posts in the directorate of collegiate education. According to the experts and academicians, the change was done with the intention of benefiting a few vested-interest groups in the non-teaching community.
Under this rule, the post of Principals is to be filled by the direct recruitment with tenure of five years and not by promoting the lecturers with experience of teaching field. The whole teaching fraternity and the union have challenged the rule in the Karnataka High court, who had favored the seniority in its 2013 ruling.
Some sources said, “It is a fallout of petty politics and jealousy in the department of collegiate education. The rules favor non-teaching faculty as it allows multiple promotions for them. The rules have been designed to allow a second division assistant in the department to rise up to the rank of deputy director (who has the power to inspect colleges and question principals) in the next 15 years while lecturers will have based promotions to retire in the same posts.”
This has caused havoc in the state colleges and thus, the Karnataka Government College Teachers’ Association has raised the red flag. “The ad-hoc principals are inexperienced and are not in a position to take bold decisions for their respective colleges. Neither are they in a position to command loyalty and respect from their peers. Adding to teachers’ indiscipline in the colleges is the casual approach towards the in-charge principals,” a source from the association said.
Education Minister Rayareddi said, “We will re-examine the C&R Rules of 2009 and will amend it to ensure full-fledged principals in all colleges.”
